We investigated the difference in electrically guided acto-myosin motility on two surfaces. Rabbit skeletal
muscle heavy meromyosin (HMM) was absorbed onto surfaces coated with Nitrocellulose (NC) and
Poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA). A modified in vitro motility assay with sealed chambers for the insertion
of electrodes allowed an electrical field to be applied across the flow cell. On all surfaces a small increase in
velocity and general guidance of the actin filaments towards the positive electrode is seen at field strengths in
the range of ~3000 – 4000Vm-1. A large increase in velocity was observed at ~5000Vm-1 and a significant
change in the velocity of the actin filaments present in field strengths higher than this. NC supported the
highest percentage of motile filaments and at a field of 8000Vm-1 reached ~66%. PBMA however supported
the least percentage of motile filaments and irregular motility was observed even at higher fields where
guidance was expected to be strong. The change in velocity in the range of fields tested varied significantly on
the surfaces with NC displaying a 46% increase from 0 to 8000Vm-1 whereas on PBMA this value was just
37%.